11-7-21 Sermon Notes “Could We Start Again, Please?”

This Sunday is special for a number of reasons. First, every Sunday is special, because every Sunday is a remembrance of that first Sunday that Jesus rose from the dead! In a sense, every Sunday is Easter Sunday! Second, this Sunday is All Saints Sunday. All Saints Sunday is the first Sunday after All Saints Day (which is celebrated on November 1). Sometimes All Saints Day is celebrated the day before, on All Hallows (Saints) Eve (a.k.a. Halloween). All Saints Sunday is a day to celebrate and remember the lives of the saints who have gone before us into glory. I love All Saints Sunday! John Wesley loved it too. In a journal entry from November 1, 1767, Wesley called All Saints “a festival I truly love.” Charles Wesley loved it as well. In his hymn, “Come, Let Us Join our Friends Above,” (#709 in our hymnal), Charles writes, “Let saints on earth united to sing, with those to glory gone, for all the servants of our King in earth and heaven, are one.” We do believe in the “communion of saints,” after all. That’s what we confess in the Apostles’ Creed.

Next, this Sunday is special because we will be starting a three-week series called, “Showvember.” We will be using tunes from musical theatre to help us see the truth of the Gospel. This week, we will be hearing a song from the musical, “Jesus Christ Superstar.” It features Mary Magdalene and Peter remembering Jesus, and wishing they could see him again so they could appreciate him more the next time. The name of the song is, “Could We Start Again, Please?” Here is one of the lines in the song:

I've been living to see you
Dying to see you
But it shouldn't be like this
This was unexpected
What do I do now?
Could we start again, please?

Regret…sadness…wishing to have a “do-over”… all these things filled Mary Magdalene’s heart as she made her way to the tomb early that Sunday morning. We will read about it this Sunday in John 20: 1-13. Is it really possible to start all over?

Finally, this Sunday will be special because we will celebrate Holy Communion together. Won’t you join us for this special day?

See you Sunday,
Pastor Sam